Publications
Our publications focus on the latest policy topics and practical advice that you need to do your job. CIH members can access all our publication documents for free, please ensure you are logged into the website.
How to mainstream equality and reflect diversity
This 'How to' offers advice on ways of mainstreaming equality and is illustrated with examples from a number of different organisations.
How to learn from complaints to improve services
This guide sets out how to ensure that the lessons from complaints are captured, are understood and that action is taken as a result of them
Rent payment and collection under universal credit - guidance for landlords
this guidance document focuses on practical rent payment and collection issues for social landlords. It was produced with financial support from the Scottish Government.
Regenerating our communities: A snapshot in time
This publication offers a flavour of current regeneration activity based around new or refurbished housing provision.
It is simply a snapshot, taking its material from 13 entries to the 2013 CIH Scotland/Scottish Government Excellence in Regeneration Award.
Housing Dispute Resolution - Briefing Paper
This briefing revisits the arguments for taking housing cases out of the courts and into a tribunal model of dispute resolution
An estimation of housing need among wheelchair users in Scotland
With support from CIH Scotland, this report recommends increased new build provision for wheelchair users and greater emphasis on adaptations as two key solutions.
How to help tenants manage their money
This guide considers the practical ways you can help your tenants improve their money management, access financial products which are right for them and know where to turn for advice and support.
Charter Toolkit – Measuring the Scottish social housing charter
This toolkit seeks to provide advice to councils and housing associations on how to respond to the challenge of evidencing compliance with Charter outcomes through a process of self-assessment
How to tackle disability related harassment
This how to briefing sets out what providers should be doing to respond to this challenge.
According to a poll commissioned by the Disability Rights Commission, one third of disabled adults and nearly half of adults with a mental health condition do not feel safe in their locality. As the social rented sector provides homes to a high percentage of disabled people, housing providers have a crucial role to play in tackling disability related hate crime.
How to deliver excellent customer service
To build a good and lasting relationship with your customers you need to find out what they want from you and – as far as you can – meet their expectations.
Excellent customer service is not an add-on to the business: it’s a vital component which needs to be valued and owned by all – if one part of the business doesn’t do this, it can affect the reputation and performance of the whole. It’s about getting the core business basics right and understanding how and where you can add extra value.
How to deliver quality housing and health partnerships
This 'how to' guide sets out how housing professionals can establish effective relationships with colleagues working in health, to improve outcomes for residents
The guide is particularly timely as budgets in both many housing and related support services and health services are facing budget constraints. These pressures could make the two sectors retreat in to their silos, or it could drive innovation in how housing and health together deliver more personalised and cost-effective services.
Fire safety in housing
This looks at key issues around fire safety in social housing, the legal framework, risk assessments, working with fire, rescue services and residents, and tackling fire-related anti-social behavior
- why is fire safety an issue for housing?
- fire safety in housing: the legal framework and key guidance for housing providers
- carrying out a risk assessment
- working in partnership with fire and rescue services
- working in partnership with tenants, residents, and communities
- tackling fire-related anti-social behavior
- the use of domestic sprinklers
- questions and answers from the CFOA, WMFS and CIH seminars
- glossary of key terms
HTIF Briefing on Operation of the Housing Market
This briefing outlines some of the proposals in the Housing Improvement Task Force (HITF) final report ‘Stewardship and Responsibility: A Policy Framework for Private Housing in Scotland’.
It focuses on the parts of the report that relate to improving the operation of the housing market.
Common Property, Common Poverty
During the last couple of years, the CIH in Scotland has prioritised policy work around the private sector... Common Property, Common Poverty is the latest outcome.
Many of the issues set out in the report will be familiar to people who work in housing. However, they are collected together here to encourage those of us with a responsibility for leading a process of improvement to tackle them with leadership, commitment and resources. We need a comprehensive system of property management and maintenance in Scotland.
The experience of Black and Minority Ethnic housing staff
CIH has recently adopted a BME strategy which is aimed at encouraging more BME people into housing and into CIH membership and it is partly against this background that this study has been conducted.
Also of importance are recent legislative changes, such as the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000, which now places a duty on bodies positively to promote equality of opportunity.
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